The present invention relates to an archery device for assisting in producing accurate shots. In particular, the present invention relates to a bowstring release mechanism with a delayed release.
Many archers in both hunting and target shooting experience inaccurate shots due to flinching or movement at the critical time of releasing the bowstring to launch an arrow. Flinching or movement may be caused by anticipation of a shot, physical breakdown, or mental deterioration.
Anticipation of the shot, or target anxiety, often causes tension and excessive movement of the bow due to the expectation of the coming explosion and recoil of the shot. After drawing the bowstring and arrow, the archer takes aim. Physical breakdown of the shot normally occurs when the archer has aimed too long. The maximum ideal holding period is 5-7 seconds. Thus, when an archer is at full draw for too long, his or her muscles begin to weaken and shooting form breaks down causing an inaccurate shot. Finally, mental deterioration occurs due to the mind's inability to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. During execution of a shot, the archer should be focused exclusively on aiming. Focusing on other events such as gently releasing the bowstring or a trigger, utilizing a proper breathing technique and exercising self control to drawn down if all the requisite conditions to a good shot are not met, may inhibit the archer from maintaining a proper site picture and thus result in an inaccurate shot.
The use of conventional mechanical or electrical release mechanisms do not address or alleviate these concerns. The archer must still perform the aforementioned requisite conditions along with aiming during the critical time of shot release thereby increasing the likelihood of flinching or movement during that time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,957, incorporated by reference herein, illustrates these limitations with a release mechanism for use with a two handed bow activated by a trigger switch on one of the hand grips. At the critical time of releasing the bowstring, an archer still must be concerned with gently activating the trigger, utilizing a proper breathing technique, exercising self-control to draw down the bow if the requisite conditions are not met, and maintaining a proper site picture or focus on the target. Attempting to achieve all these conditions at the critical time increases the likelihood of mental deterioration and physical breakdown. Furthermore, because the archer knows the bowstring will release immediately upon activation of the switch, anticipation of the shot and the associated movement or flinching will only compound the difficulty of achieving an accurate shot, all generally referred to as "target panic".
Harklau, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,269, discloses a bowstring release apparatus with a bowstring affixed to a bow. The bowstring release mechanism is comprised of an activation switch, a timing device, and a release mechanism. The activation switch is connected to the timing device which in turn is connected to the release mechanism. The bowstring release apparatus is activated by the activation switch which initiates the start of a timing period. The timing device, connected to the activation switch, establishes a length of time representing the time period. The release mechanism, connected to the timing device, releases the secured bowstring after expiration of the time period. Unfortunately, the electronic based device taught by Harklau is expensive, complicated, and difficult to repair while hunting away from town. Accordingly, if the electronics malfunction, there is little likelihood that the archer will be able to repair the device. Moreover, if the device of Harklau becomes wet, such as being used while hunting, or the battery runs low, then the device will not function at all.
What is desired, therefore, is a bowstring release apparatus that relieves "target panic", is relatively easy to repair while hunting, and is inexpensive.